One shot.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

It was dark in the forest other than the full moon peaking through the trees and the wolf was out, running of course.

There was no path or destination per say, it was just running because it likes to run.

It likes trees.

It likes the moon.

It likes dirt.

'Our mate does not like dirt in the den.'

(It's not a den. It's an apartment.)

'Smell that? Smells like rabbit.'

It likes chasing rabbits and occasionally it chases them into town.

A dark, blank version of town.

'It is dark here.'

(It's a black out.)

'Our mate fears dark.'

(Not our mate. Her name is Belle.)

'Our mate, Belle, fears dark.'

It likes Mate's den.

The den has tall shelves, perfect for hiding in and rubbing up against.

The den has small box-like things that smell like rawhide, or cardboard sometimes, and parchment, and the few that have been 'ruined already' are wonderful for sharpening teeth with, but only when Mate allows it.

'We will go to the den to save our mate from dark.'

It likes that Mate looks small in night clothes.

(Those are Belle's pajamas.)

It likes that tiny scented fires in little glass bowls have been keeping the dark away from Mate in it's absence.

It likes that everything in the den smells like Mate.

'These soft things smell like our mate.'

"Do you like the pillows pup?" Mate asked in her wonderfully strange way of saying things.

(It's called an accent.)

'Smell that? It smells like-'

(No! We can't sniff around for that!)

'No, need. It is coming from here.'

It likes that it's Mate's face turns that shade sometimes.

It likes that shade on Mate's face.

"Ruby, I could have sworn we had a rule about my underwear drawer." Mate's voice seemed stern.

The wolf doesn't feel sorry, it did nothing wrong, but it likes Mate's smile and so it tucks it's tail between it's legs and lowers it's ears, secretly waiting for it's fur to be groomed.

"Well, I suppose if you're that sorry.." Mate smiles while running her fingers through the wolf's fur. "I can let it slide just this once."

'Our mate finds joy in our antics.'

(Don't you do it..)

Mate likes it's wolfish antics.

"Oh, you're too sweet." Mate smiled while wiping at the slobber on her cheek.

(Her name is Belle. She's not our mate.)

'My mate. My mate. My one. Our one.'

(You don't understand-)

'You do not understand, human.'

"Ruby? What are you thinking about, love?" Mate asked with a slight concern in her sweetly strange voice.

(It's an accent.)

'It is protecting her from dark.'

(What? What do you-)

'We protect her from dark because she fears dark.'

"Ruby?" She asked again.

(Stop licking her!)

'She needs to be licked because she is worried about us.'

(What do you-)

'We keep her safe. We stay here. We do not run. We do not chase rabbits. We stay with her to keep her from dark. We stay. We want to stay. We want to be here. We just stay.'

(She's not ours.)

'We do not care. We are hers. We stay.'

It likes that Mate still grooms it's fur even while she's sleeping.

(Why do you do this?)

'Why do you not?'

(She's not our mate. She's a friend.)

'Do you want to leave?'

(Yes.)

(No. Do you want to leave? Do you want to move from her side. She will fear dark without us. She will be cold without us. She will be alone. Would you like that?)

(No.)

'Why?'

(Why? Why what?')

'You need to understand, human. Why do we stay?'

(Because you think she needs us.)

'No. We need her. Do you know why?'

(Because we don't sleep as well without her.. And her bed is a lot softer than the rocks in the forest.)

'Also because our fur needs to be groomed and her strange paws are much softer than our teeth.'

(Her hands.)

'You are strange, human.'

(Her accent makes every book come to life and eyes are just.. When she's reading? I mean.. Wow.)

'Also?'

(I love her. I love spending time with her and keeping her safe..)

'You are forgetting things but I believe you understand, now.'

(She's my one.. She's my mate.. Belle's my mate..)

'Our mate.'

(Fine. Our mate. Now.. Let me take over.)

"Hmm.. Ruby.." Mate sighs as the human's arm wraps around her stomach.

"Goodnight, Belle.."

'Mate.'

(Hush.)

"Goodnight, Love.." Mate mumbled before her heavenly breathing evened out signaling her sleeping once again.

A/N. I post every Thursday so be sure to check the account for new stories and updates. Remember to review, good or bad, and PM me prompts, pairings, and suggestions. I read EVERYTHING and I try my best to keep up with all those wonderful ideas.